PATH conductor brings smiles to commuters with unique voice

A PATH train conductor from New Jersey often brings smiles to the faces of commuters through the unique voice he uses to make announcements.

Mike Allen is the conductor for the PATH train between Newark and New York’s World Trade Center. The Brooklyn-born man now lives in Edison. He says that he wanted to be a train conductor all of his life after listening to subway conductors in New York City.

The voice Allen uses for announcements is loud and jovial, like a carnival barker.

“I just wanted people to pay attention when I made my announcements,” Allen says.

Allen says that when he was a child, the New York City subway conductors with the best voices always stood out to him.

“You never want to sound like you were bored or anything,” he says. “You should always sound like you’re full of life so people know there’s someone on the train.”

News 12 New Jersey spoke with some PATH riders who said that they recognized Allen’s voice and have often enjoyed hearing the announcements.